hockeyinsider

It's really too bad about the pools. Worse yet, they've known this since the property first opened under the same owners but as the independently managed South Beach. Actually, I was told by a manager that left when Marriott flagged the property that the bad pool design was partly why the hotel didn't succeed as an independent hotel.

They removed some of the cladding above the secondary pool, which I believe only opened once the J.W. Marriott flag was flying, but there is still enough of it that the sun is minimal at best. Had it not been for these major design flaws, the Singapore J.W. Marriott would be an incredible property.

hockeyinsider

Is that platinum only?

Hipplewm

Yeah, that's exactly what mine said

Also, I made up for the price of my room in the fresh watermelon juice drinks. Good lord, that was worse than crack laced heroin meth drug or some ..... Holy crap, I went thru watermelon withdrawals for a week after leaving. That and dragon fruit.

LF72

The poor pool was the number one reason I didn't stay there on my last trip. Instead, I stayed at the Westin, which has a very good pool.

hockeyinsider

The Marriott and Hyatt also have good pools for sunbathing, though the Hyatt was disappointing as a hotel, especially given all the hype it receives online. I thought it was kind of past-due for a renovation. I've been told the pool on the roof of the The Fullerton, which is the old colonial-era post office, is very nice.

yurtripper

So that serves me right for not paying due attention to the welcome letter and going by what the lounge staff were telling me.

Still seems odd that they were insistent that breakfast could only be taken in the lounge given that I'm a Plat and there's no higher tier. I'd put it down to language barriers but there was no problem with their English.

yurtripper

Yeah, it's almost worth going back just for those

LF72

Big fan of the Fullerton. Had a bunch of SPG and Marriott points, so I stayed at the Westin for 5 nights and the JW for one. Was upgraded at both. At the JW it was a very spacious suite.

Will need to do some serious thinking on where to stay on the next visit....

Hipplewm

I am not going to make an excuse for the pool, it could be fixed quickly and cheaply and they choose not to...fine

But the entire 18th floor. I have found myself asleep in those wicker chairs waaaaayyyyyy more than once. Beautiful view and not to hot in the summer (with a good breeze) and just enough chilly in the winter to make you bring a long sleeve shirt, but best naps I have had in years out there.

LF72

Concur on the wicker chairs. That said, what is with the metal chairs in the lounge? You really get the feeling they don't want you to spend too much time in there.

mechu

Anyone knows if the executive lounge is still serving champagne during evening cocktails?

hockeyinsider

It was never champagne. It was prosecco, if I remember rightly.

yurtripper

mechu

Was just there over the weekend and they were indeed serving prosecco. Brand was Belstar.

I read some very early reviews (when it was first rebranded to JW) that mentioned champagne was served in the lounge but I guess that may have been for a limited time only.

Already saw several comments here on how cold the 18th floor pool is but it was way colder than what I expected... almost unbearable and it didn't help that there was nothing shielding you from the wind as the entire floor is very open... if only they can look into heating the pool somehow...

I am gold and the welcome letter (addressed to gold specifically) states that breakfast is at the lounge only so I am guessing the restaurant option might only be for platinum members. Food offerings during evening happy hour weren't particularly appealing (mini quiche, deep fried mozzarella, har gow, chicken quesadilla, eggplant with tomato sauce) and weren't up to par with the marriott at tangs.

Kacee

That sounds like a downgrade from my visit last year. Were the stations manned by chefs?